Originally posted by oliverdave
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Source: https://leehamnews.com/2017/11/01/ne...harklets-a350/
The original and new winglets don’t have the same form. The reason is, the wings are not the same. To understand why, we need to understand how winglets work.
Wings and winglets
Wing extensions, like Sharklets, use the winglet device to change the spanwise pressure distribution of the wing. It’s the cooperation of the winglet and the wing that gives the air the impression the wing has a longer span than the physical span. The new span created with the wingtip extension is called the effective wingspan.
There is a widespread misunderstanding that winglets are designed to change the way the wingtip vortices are flowing. This is mixing cause and effect. The winglet and wing changes the complete flow around and behind the wing. This total change of the flow pattern is what reduces the drag, not any local change in the vortices around the wingtips.
Wings and winglets
Wing extensions, like Sharklets, use the winglet device to change the spanwise pressure distribution of the wing. It’s the cooperation of the winglet and the wing that gives the air the impression the wing has a longer span than the physical span. The new span created with the wingtip extension is called the effective wingspan.
There is a widespread misunderstanding that winglets are designed to change the way the wingtip vortices are flowing. This is mixing cause and effect. The winglet and wing changes the complete flow around and behind the wing. This total change of the flow pattern is what reduces the drag, not any local change in the vortices around the wingtips.
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